Centrifugal extractor



S. PRESTWICH. CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTOR. APPUCATION HLED 001116, 1911.

Patented May 2, 1922.

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mm .30 QM R Wk IA"! 751V TOR S. PRESTWICH.

CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTDR.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 16, 1911.

1,414,525, Patented May 2, 1922.

5 SHEETSSHEE'T 2.

S. PBESTWICH. CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTUR. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16. 19:7.

Patented May 2, 1922.

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S. PRESTWICH.

CENTRIFUGAL EXTRAGTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 16. 1917.

Patented May 2, 1922.

S. PRESTWICH. CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTOR. APPLICATION FILED ocr. I6. I917.

Patented May 2, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYDNEY PRESTWICH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO,

ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY CENTRIFUGAL EXTRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1922.

Application filed October 16, 1917. Serial No. 196,825.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, SYDNEY PnEsTwIoH,

citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Extractors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to centrifugal extractors such as are used for extracting surplus liquids or moisture from goods or articles to be laundered or cleaned, or from any other materials or substances.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved extractor embodying a rotating basket which carries the goods or materials, said basket being so arranged as to enable the load to be easily balanced or to enable a partial load to be easily taken care of, and also constructed in a manner to enable the load to be easily introduced into or removed from the basket.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved extractor whose rotating basket includes a bottom, side walls, a top, and several partitions, one or more of the members of said basket being vertically movable as a load carrier to enable the load to be more readily handled and extracted.

Further objects of the invention are to provide improved power mechanism, for operating the machine, both for rotating the basket and for raising and lowering the vertically movable load carrier; to prevent operation of the mechanism for raising and lowering the load carrier except when the basket rotating means is inoperative; to prevent operation of the raising and lowering mechanism for the load carrier except when the brake is applied to stop the rotating spindle; to prevent elevation of said load carrier except when at rest; to prevent operative connection of the basket. to its rotatingmeans when the load carrier is above its normal operating position; to provide improved means for automatically controlling the raising and lowering means for the load carrier so as to disconnect the same whenever the load carrier reaches its upper or lower position; t0 provide an improved top cover or.

guard for the extractor enabling the operator to gain access to the basket or the goods therein when the load carrier is down, said cover or guard being so arranged that it can only be raised if the means for rotating the basket and the lifting means for the load carrier are ineffective, and which cover or guard, when opened, is arranged to prevent connection of the basket to its rotating means or the load carrier for its lifting means; and finally to provide an improved extractor of this kind embodying an apron normally lying in inoperative position but being capable of being moved to a position in which it serves as a discharge table over which the goods can be dragged in discharging them from the load carrier thereby preventing said goods from falling into the hollow outer casing or between the casing and basket, and which apron is coupled to the basket raising and lowering means for the load carrier in such a manner that the load carrier can not be lowered except when the apron is in inoperative position.

Further objec s of the invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter.

The invention comprises the extractor hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, is a side elevationof the machine partly broken out' and in section, the brake being applied and the vertically movable load carrier member being in its upper position; Fig. 2 is a similar view, parts being omitted, showing the brake released to allow rotation of the basket; Fig. 3 is a detail view, on a larger scale, of the brake control for the raising and lowering means for the load carrier; Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged detail sectional views of the upper and lower edges of the basket; Fig. 6 is a front view, illustrating the top cover or guard and front discharge table or apron, and the connection of said cover or guard and apron to the operating parts of the machine, the body of the machine being indicated diagrammatically in dotted lines; Fig. 7 is a detail plan view, on a larger scale, showing a portion of the control mechanism; Fig. 8 1s a detail sectional elevation on the line 8-8 Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view of the machine, with the counter shaft, the upper driving mechanism, and the basket raising and lowering mechanism for the load carrier omitted; Fi 10 is a partial sectional plan view, on the line 10-10 Fig. 2, a portion of the load carrier being broken out; Fig. 11 is a partial sectional plan view from beneath, on a reduced scale, on the line 11-11 Fig. 2, showing the top ring of'the load carrier and the supporting lugs around the top band of the basket; Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation, showing an extractor embodyin a modified form of basket, the basket being illustrated in normal running position; and Fi 13 is a similar view, illustratin the mova le basket member elevated 'and t e side discharge door of the casing in open position.

The extractor shown in the drawings comprises a suitable outer casing or curb 1 in which is located a rotating basket carried by a vertical spindle or shaft 2 having a suitable step bearin 3 supported by a seat 4 on the bottom of t e curb. At the rear of the curb is an upwardly extending standard 5 provided with an arm or arms 6 carrying a bearing 7 for the upper end of the s indle. On said spindle is a pulley 8 from w ich a twisted belt 9 asses over suitable idler pulleys 10 to the riving pulley 11 carried by a shaft mounted in bearings in a frame 12 connected to the curb, said shaft being provided with the usual fast pulley 13 and loose pulley 14 driven by a belt A from the line shaft. 15 indicates belt shifting arms for manipulatiiig the driving belt, said arms being operated by a shaft or rod 16 sliding in supports carried by the frame 12.

The basket itself may be of any suitable construction but preferably, as above stated, includes a bottom, side walls, a top, and several partitions, one or more of the members of said basket being vertically movable for purposes which will appear. In the form of machine shown in Figs. 12 and 13, as will be more fully hereinafter described, the side walls and top of the basket are movable vertically as a load carrier, the bottom and radial partitions having no vertical movement. In the form of basket shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the basket comprises a fixed bottom or floor 17 connected to rotate with the spindle 2, and an imperforate side wall or rim 18 tapering downwardly. These parts of the basket are immovable in a vertical direction. The basket also comprises a load carrier carried by a sleeve 19 having vertical sliding movement on the spindle 2 and also rotatable thereon. Said sleeve supports a series of radially extending vertical walls or partitions 20 connected at their lower edges by a false bottom 21 and at their upper edges by a ring 22. Said ring has an outer depending flange 23 larger in diameter than the upper peripheral edge of the wall 18, so that said flange is spaced from said wall. It is held in spaced rotation therefrom by a series of spaced lugs or projections 24, shown in Fig. 11, between which are orts or openings 25. Consequently when the basket is rotated with the goods therein liquids or moisture are thrown outwardly and travel up the inclined wall 18, over its upper edge, and downwardly through the ports 24to the cavity of the curb around the basket, from which the liquid is drained in the, usual manner. The radial partitions in the basket, in both forms of the invention shown, enable the load to be more evenly distributed about the axis of rotation. The operator is enabled thereby to pack the load into the basket in portions of substantially e ual weight distributed on opposite sides 0 the axis. The load is therefore more accurately bala'nced and upon rotation of the basket is not so likely to shift its position and become unbalanced.

The lower end of the sleeve 19 is preferably formed as a hollow inverted cup spaced from the upper end of the conical bottom 17 so as to provide a cavity 26 in said cup, at the lower end of which is an annular abutment or shoulder 27. The bottom 17 within said cavity 26, carries a series of depending arms, dogs or latches 28, loosely pivoted on horizontal axes. lVhen the load carrier is down in operating position, as in Fig. 2, rotation of the basket causes the arms 28 to fly outwardly by centrifugal force to the position shown in Fig. 2, so that their lower ends are above the annular shoulder 27 of the load carrier and therefore form positive stops to prevent the load carrier from being lifted. The load carrier therefore cannot be lifted while the basket is rotating, so that the operator is deterred from attempting to lift and unload the load carrier before it comes to rest. The arms 28 also prevent the load carrier from crawling up the spindle when the basket is running, due to the vertical pressure of the load on the upper ring 22 caused by the tapering sides.

The means or mechanism for raising and lowering the vertically movable load carrier or cage comprises a small pulley 30 attached to the loose pulley 14 and connected by a driving belt 31 to a pulley 32 on a jack shaft 33 journalled in sup orts at the upper end of the standard 5, said shaft 33 having fixed thereto a clutch member 34 movable into engagement with cooperating clutch members 35 on two opposite driving bevel gears 36. both of which are connected to a bevel gear 37 on the upper end of a screw shaft 38-,- which cooperates with a nut 39 carried by a traveler 40 having a guide sleeve 40 sliding vertically on the non-rotatable guiderod 40". This arrangement prevents rotation of the traveler 40 upon the screw shaft, but the reversing mechanism described enables said traveler to be moved either up or down according to the connection of the clutch member 34 to one or the other of the cooperating clutch members 35.

Traveler 40 has attached thereto a large round cover or guard 41 which completely covers the wide mouth or opening in the top of the curb when the traveler and load carrier are down, as in Fig. 2. This cover or guard rises with the traveler in lifting the load carrier, as shown in Fig. 1. The traveler is also provided with depending brackets 42 in which is mounted a sliding rod 43 whose forward end is provided with a head having a hook member 44 and a handle 45 passing around the spindle 2 to the front of the machine. The normal position of said head when the machine is running is at the rear, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9. in which position the cover 41 can be raised independently of the load carrier, but by pulling said head forwardly its hook 44 can be brought into position beneath an annular flange 46 upon the upper end of the sleeve 19. If the screw 38 is then rotated in the proper direction to raise the traveler 40 the hook 44 will lift the sleeve 19 and the load carrier carried thereby.

The cover or guard 41 has a relatively small opening near its front normall closed by a supplemental cover or guar 47 attached to a shaft 48 turning in yokes or brackets 49 carried by the cover or guard 41. The hook 44 can be pulled forwardly into cooperating relation with the flange 46 when the cover or guard 47 is down, as shown in Fig. 9. in which position the handle 45 can be moved over to a position above said cover. Therefore, this arrange ment prevents lifting the load carrier with the supplemental cover 47 or guard in its raised position, and therefore prevents crushing the supplemental cover or guard against some of the upper parts of the machine when the load carrier is lifted. Fur-. thermore, when the load carrier is lifted or being lifted it is impossible to lift the supplemental cover or guard 47.

It will be noticed that the pulley 32 for operating the raising and lowering mechanism for the load carrier can. only be rotated when the main driving belt is on the loose pulley 14 and therefore operatively connected to the attached pulley 30. Suitable means is preferably provided for preventing the operator from shifting the main driving belt to the main or fast pulley at any time when the load carrier is out of its normal driving position in the curb, to wit, in any position in which it is not fully seated in the basket. For this purpose the belt shifting rod 16 is provided with an upwardly extending arm 50 having a horizontal portion carrying a stop 51 adjustably secured thereto by a set screw 52. Connected to said arm, is a rod 53 working in a guide 54 and rovided near the front of the machine wit an operating handle 55. Cooperating with the stop 51 1s a locking member,56 pivoted at 57 in a bracket carried by the standard 5 and having a toe 58 passing through an opening in said stand: ard. When the cage is in its lowest or normal position as shown in Fig. 2, the sleeve 40 engages the toe 58 and lifts the oppodrops to the position shown in Fig. 1, in.

which position said member 56 prevents movement of the belt shifter rearwardly and therefore prevents the operator from shifting the belt to the fixed pulley 13. The basket therefore cannot be rotated when the load carrier is above normal running position.

The clutch inember 34,'which determinesv the connection of the screw shaft 38 to its operating mechanism, is preferably associated'with other parts so that it can be operated only under certain definite conditions. As shown, one end portion of shaft 33 is hollow to receive the rod 60 whose inner end (not shown) is arranged to operate the clutch member 34 in the usual manner, as by a cross pin 61 passing through an elongated slot in shaft 33 from the clutch member to the rod 60. Rod 60 is connected to an arm 62 carried by a rod 63 connected by an arm 64 to ayoke 65 on a laterally extending shaft 66 having an operating handle 67 fixed to its outer end, said operating handle carrying a spring pressed pin 68 adapted to seat in a notch in a quadrant 69. With this arrangement, shifting movement of the handle 67 in one direction or the other connects the clutch member 34 to one or the other of its cooperating clutch members 35. If shifted to link 72 to a lever 73 operated by a hand wheel 74 threaded upon a screw at the front of the machine. By disconnecting one of the clevises from lever 71 or lever 73, the link 72 can be adjusted in length. When the brake is released, as shown in Fig. 2, an arm 75 carried by the yoke 65 lies beneath the hub of the wheel 74, and is therefore in position to prevent movement of handle 67 to the left in Fig. 1. However, when the brake is applied by screwing the hand wheel 74 outwardly or to the position shown in Fig. 3, the arm 75 can pass beyond the hub of the wheel, thereby permitting the clutch to be shifted to the left to thereby cause elevation ofthe basket cage. Shaft 38 is thereupon rotated until a pin 76 carried by an arm 77 supported on the cover or guard 41 strikes a horizontal arm? 78 carried by the shaft 66 and turns said shaft until the clutch is shifted to neutral position as shown in Fig. 1. The load carrier is therefore automatically stopped when it reaches its upper position.

At the front of the machine is a shaft 79 journalled in brackets 80 carried by the curb, said shaft 79 carrying an apron or table 81 and at one end a cam 82-having a recess 83 therein. The curb is also provided with a bracket 84 in which is journalled a shaft 85, to which are connected a lever 86 and an arm 87. The one arm of lever 86 lies above the cam 82, as shown in Fig. 9,

7 while its opposite arm is connected by a clevis to the lower end of a link 88 connected at its upper end to an arm 89 also connected to the shaft 66.

When the load carrier reaches its upper or unloading position, the apron 81 is turned up to the position shown in Fig. 1 so that it serves as a table along which the goods can be dragged in pulling them out of the load carrier. In this position a high part of the cam 82 is beneath the lever 86. Therefore the handle 67 cannot be shifted to the right in Fig. 1 and the clutch member 34 cannot be shifted to the left, as a result of which it is impossible to connect the load carrier to the mechanism for moving it downwardly. The operator must first swing the apron downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, in which position the lever 86 can enter the recess 83 in the cam and allow cooperative relation of the clutch members.

As the load carrier reaches its lower or normal position a second pin 90 on the bracket 77 engages the lever 87, pulling downwardly on the link 88 and again shifting the clutch to neutral position, thereby stopping the load carrier in its lower or normal position.

The belt shifting rod 53 is provided near the front of the machine with a locking member 91 having oppositely extending horizontal flanges 92, 93. Flange 92 cooperates with an abutment 94 on the link 88, while flange 93 cooperates with a semi-circular cam 95 upon the end of shaft 48. When the main driving belt is on the fast pulley the belt shifter is in its rearward position. Flange 92 lies directly beneath the abutment 94, thereby preventing downward movement of the link 88. This arrangement prevents any manipulation of the handle 67 to raise the load carrier while the basket is being rotated. Said handle can only be manipulated to lower the load carrier when the main belt shifter is pulled forward to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 7, so that the abutment 94 can pass down beyond the flange 92.

Furthermore, when the belt shifter is forward with the main driving belt on the loose pulley, elevation of the small cover 47 to inspect the contents of the basket or insert oods therein turns the cam 95 so that it orms an effectual stop behind the end of flange 93. Therefore when the load carrier is down, the belt shifter is forward, and the small cover is raised, it is impossible to accidentally shift the belt to a position in which the basket will be rotated. A ain, if the cover or guard 47 is down. and t e basket is being rotated by the main driving belt acting on the fast pulley, the member 91 is in its rear position and the flange 93 lies above the fiat face of cam 95, as a resultof which the cover or guard 47 cannot be raised while the basket is being rotatably driven.

Figs. 12 and 13 show another form of the machine modified only as regards the construction of the basket and curb, it being possible to embody in this machine all of the safety features hereinbefore described in connection with the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this modified machine the basket comprises a bottom 17 carried by a central sleeve 19 fixed to rotate with the spindle 2. The rotatable vanes or walls 20 dividing the space within the basket into compartments are in this case rigidly attached to the bottom 17 and sleeve 19 of the basket and therefore have no vertical movement. The vertically movable member of the basket comprises the outer wall 18 and a top or cover 98, the latter of which is connected to a short sleeve member 99 cooperating with the lifting hook 44 of traveler 40. The upper outer edges of the vanes 20' are also connected and supported by an annular ring 22 and the outer wall 18 tapers upwardly instead of downwardly, as in Fig. 1. It will also be noted that the curb 1 is provided at its front with an opening 100, normally closed by a door 101 pivoted at the bottom of the opening and having a depending inner flange 102.

The normal running position of this extractor is shown in Fig. 12. The basket wall and top are down and the door 101 is closed. When the moisture has been extracted from the ods the top or cover and side wall of the asket are lifted as shown in Fig. 13. Door 101.is then opened and the goods lying in the basket between the partitions 20 are dragged out over the door 101 which forms of norma- 2. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a vertically movable load dividing cage member, and means actuated by centrifugal force for preventin movement of said cage member in one irection when .the basket is rotating.

3. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a part fixed against vertical movement and a vertically movable load dividing cage part, and cooperating members between said parts governed by the rotation of said basket and arranged to prevent movement of themovable cage part in one direction when the basket is rotating.

4. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a part fixed against vertical movement and a vertically movable load dividing cage part having radially extending vertical walls, and movable members carried b one of said parts and arranged when said basket is rotatin to move outward by centrifugal force into inter-lock-' ing engagement with the other part to thereby prevent movement of the movable part in one direction when the basket is rotating.

5. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a part fixed against vertical movement and a vertically movable part, said vertically movable part having an abutment, and a swinging arm carried by the relative] fixed part and adapted to swing outwardly by centrifugal force when the basket is rotatin into inter-locking engagement with said a utment, to thereby prevent movement of the movable part in one direction when the basket is rotating.

6. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a vertically movable member, power means for moving said member vertically, and automatic means for stopping said member when it reaches a definite position durin its vertical movement, said sto means inc uding an actuating part carried by 'sa'd member.

7. An e tractor,- comprising a rotatable basket having a vertically movable load carrying member, means for rotating said basket, means for moving said member upwardly and downwardly, and means for preventing upward movement of said member durin rotative movement of said basket.

8. n extractor, comprising a rotatable basklet havin a vertically movable load carrying mem er, means for rotating said basket, means for moving said member upwardly and downwardly, and centrifugal means for preventing upward movement of said member during rotative movement of said basket.

9. An extractor, com basket having a vertical y movable member, means for rotating said basket, means for preventin rotation of the basket while out operative position. 10. An extractor, comprising a rotatable rising a rotatable 'of said actuating means.

member, means for rotating said :means for rotating said basket, a brake effective to stop the rotation of said basket, means for actuating said movable member, and means arranged to prevent o eration except w en the brake is applied.

12. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a vertically movable member, brake means effective to stop said rotating basket, means for actuating said movable member, and means controlled by said brake means for preventing connection of said movable member to its actuating means except when the brake is applied.

13. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a vertically movable member, means for actuating said member, brake means for stopping the rotation of said basket, a clutch for operatively connecting said member to its actuating means, and means controlled by said brake means for preventing operation of said clutch to connect said movable member to itsactuating means.

14. An extractor, comp-rising a rotatable basket having a member fixed against vertical movement and a member normally lying in oooperatin relation with said fixed member but capa le of being. raised to a higher position, and means for reventing rotation of said basket when said movable member is above normal position.

15. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a member fixed a ainst vertical movement and a vertical movable asket, and means arranged to prevent connection of said basket to said rotating means when said movable member is elevated.

16. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket, means for rotating said basket, means for raising a part of said basket, and means to prevent connection of said basket to its rotating means when said basket part is raised.

17. An extractor, com rising a rotatable basket havinga vertically movable member, means for so moving said member, an upwardly movable guard for said basket, and means whereby vertical movement of said basket member is prevented when said guard is raised.

. 18. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a guard movable to operative or ino erative position, means for raising a part 0? said basket, and means for preventin actuation of said raising means when said guard is in inoperative position.

19. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a guard movable to inoperative and operative positions, means for rotating said basket, means for raising a part of said basket and means arranged to prevent movement of said guard to inoperative osition unless said basket rotatlng means 18 inefiective.

20. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a guard, movable to open inoperative or operative positions and a vertically movable member, means for so moving said member, and means arranged to prevent movement of said cover to open sition unless said moving means is me ective.

21. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket havin a vertically movable load carrying mem r, a discharge table movable into and out of cooperating relation with said load carrying member when the latter is in elevated position, and means arranged to prevent downward movement of sald load carrying member when said d1scharge member is 1n coo crating relation therewith.

22. A centrifugal extractor, comprlsin a casing structure, a rotatable basket provi ed with an opening and having an outer wall within said casin structure, a cage member vertically movab e therein and rovided with a bottom and radially extending vertical partition walls, and a guard for the opening of said basket said guard adapted I01 vertical movement with said cage mem- 23. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a verticall movable load carrier, a vertically mova le basket, means for moving said loadcarrier and guard, and means whereby said cover guard for said 40 can be raised and lowered independently of said load carrier.

24. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a vertically movable load carrier, a vertically movable guard for said basket, means for moving said load carrier and guard, means whereby said cover can be raised and lowered independently of said lead carrier, and an auxiliary guard carried by said first named guard.

25. An extractor, comprising a rotatable basket having a vertically movable load carrier, a guard for said load carrier, and means for simultaneously raisin and lowering saidload carrier and giar n testimony whereof I a 2: my signature.

SYDNEY PRESTVVICH.

Certificate of Coriectibn.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1, 414',525, mma May 2, 1922. upon the a plicetion of Sydney Prestwich,-of Cincmnati, O 'o for an improvement in trifugal Extractors, 'errors'ap ar-in the printe s 'fication re iring correction as follows: Page 8, line 12 for the words ugs read carrier; page 6, line 12, clalm 20, strike out the word Open same page, lines 42 and 4 claims 23 and 24, respectively, for the word cover read and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same ma conform to the record of the ceae in the Patent Oflioe.

S1gned and sea ed this 29th day of Ma A.- D.,, 1923 [8131...] KARL FENNING,

Aqua of Patent. 

